Vidro Vira Vida project

The Vidro Vira Vida ('Glass becomes life') campaign is a permanent initiative developed by Intervet Brazil's Fortaleza site in collaboration with the glass-making industry, the Ceará State Cancer Hospital and the neighboring community.

The project aims to benefit the environment by maximizing glass recycling rates. Money raised through the sale of such glass is donated to the Ceará State Cancer Hospital. The campaign is both simple and effective. Members of the community neighboring the Fortaleza site deposit glass waste at collection units installed in the walls of the facility. These comprise openings connected via a 4” pipe to containers in which the glass is collected. These are emptied into a larger 1000kg container that is collected periodically by the recycling company.

The campaign began in June 2003 with the installation of three collection points. This year, as part of Intervet's 'Environmental Week' initiative, two more collection points were installed, and the profile of the campaign was raised in a bid to increase participation by the local community.

All parties benefit from this initiative:

• the environment and the glass industry benefit by preserving natural resources; 
• the local community is being stimulated through environmental education; 
• the hospital receives valuable financial support; and 
• Intervet fulfils its social and environmental responsibilities.  

The following letter from the Ceará State Cancer Hospital highlights the beneficial impact that the campaign has had:

“We would like not only to thank you for the help granted but also to highlight the importance of each employee involved directly or indirectly with this noble task, wishing a lot of success for everyone at Intervet. We also congratulate your company for having made this a permanent initiative, different from seasonal campaigns, and for cultivating a strong partnership with the hospital and with Companhia Industrial de Vidros, responsible for collecting and recycling the donated glass.

In name of the innumerable cancer patients in need, attended with the high quality procedures by Hospital do Cancer, our most sincere thanks.”